Thai teachers check the mouth of the students for hand, foot and mouth disease, before they get inside the school

CHIANG RAI -Dr. Chamnan Hansutivatechakul at Chiang Rai’s Public Health is warning its residents, especially children, against hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), a viral infection that causes sores in the mouth and hands, feet.

Dr. Chamnan Hansutivatechakul, revealed that the province had sent out disease warnings to all nursery and day care centers in all areas, asking them to keep their compounds and equipment clean and free of viruses and germs. If cold sores are found on the body of a child, he/she needs to be separated from other children as it is likely that the child has caught the HFMD, he added.

According to the statistics compiled during Jan 1 to Dec 31 last year, nearly 3,000 people came down with the highly contagious viral infection, while most of the infections were children between 0-4 years of age. Fortunately, no patients succumbed to the disease.

The doctor said HFMD is a disease that develops itself well during cold and wet seasons, adding that most patients get well on their own by taking medicines, but those who are infected with the Enterovirus 71 will encounter complications like encephalitis which can cause heart failure if the patients do not see a doctor in time.